Cheap rental accommodation for a month or two?

Hi, I'm in need of some travellers' wisdoms. I looking for a beautiful place to settle for a month or two and focus on some artistic projects. I move around a lot and I'm currently working in Melbourne saving up but I won't have much money saved. I know it's one of the cheapest parts of the world but I've already spent considerable time in South East Asia and I want to explore the planet a bit more. I'm looking in the direction of the Cook Islands, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Tonga etc. because of proximity and flight prices from Sydney, plus the small fact that they look like paradise :)

From research however the tourism in these places seems fancy and luxurious. Even the backpacker hostels are pricey. I don't want much to do with tourism however, I'd prefer to rent a room (fairly) long term and live like a local. Wooden shacks and bucket showers are my kind of things, I'm really not fussy. Are there any locals or expats in the know that might know of any good options? The cheaper the better. According to some living cost websites, rent in Fiji can be as little as $100 a month. That would be perfect of course. But what are the chances of renting a cheap property for a month or two as soon as I land? I don't want to be spending $20 a night for a hostel and get distracted by beer and sexy backpackers haha.

Any ideas or info about realistic rental prices (not the extortionate online holiday home prices) would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Emit

Nothing in the Cooks that low....

Solomon Islands has very few high end resorts, and most of the places you describe would require travel to other islands. With food, you could expect to pay about $30 a night, though.